Sam is Gone
by barberlyd04
Summary: Sam abandons his father (John) and his brother (Dean) for college. John and Dean need to train a new hunting partner in case Sam never comes back, so they look to a broken orphan who needs a home and a purpose in life after a horrible tragedy.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

"Hey Dad, can I talk to you for a minute?" John Winchester shuffled across the kitchen and threw together a nasty little sandwich that consisted of just mustard and old bologna. "Sam, I'm beat. Can we talk tomorrow? That sonofabitch took more to kill than I thought it would." Sam dropped his gaze to the floor. _And yet again I get put off until another day. Thanks Dad, _Sam thought. "Sure Dad. Goodnight," he mustered, masking his true feelings.

Dean took one look at his brother's face and new whatever Sam wanted to talk about was important. He waited until John's footsteps faded up the stairs and down the hallway, then inquired "Sam, what are you so eager to talk about with Dad anyway?" "Dean, I'd rather have you both here to hear it. It's important," Sam started to walk away, but Dean sidestepped in front of him. "Okay, congratulations, you have me interested for once. What is it?" Sam shifted his weight uncomfortably and dropped his gaze to the floor. His brother was always able to get stuff out of Sam without having to do much.

"You know how I brought up the idea of me going to college instead of hunting?"

"Yeah…?"

"Dean, I got accepted into Stanford. _Stanford, _Dean."

"Don't even tell me you're going. Don't say that. Sam, we need you."

"I'm going. It's what I've always wanted. This is the biggest opportunity I've ever gotten and there's no way in hell I'm turning it down."

"Sam! You better not! I swear to God," Dean's voice had escalated to a yell, stirring their father who had just slumped into bed. He rolled off the bed, more than a bit irritated, and lumbered down the stairs to see what the issue was. "Boys! What's going on down here?"

"Sam is leaving us for college!" Dean screamed.

"Sam?" his father looked at him with an accusatory glare.

"Yes Dad, I got a full ride to Stanford and I'm going. I'm sorry."

"Sam, we need you here. Dean is going to need you. I won't always be around, and he's going to need you. You're not going to college. You can't"

"Dad I'm going. It's what I've been dreaming about ever since I hit high school. Don't make me feel guilty for following my dreams and not living yours."

"Sam if you ever walk out of this house for some stupid college-boy dream, don't even _think _about ever coming back, you understand me?!" John raised his voice. Sam winced, and flashes of doubt crowded his vision. But eventually his head cleared again. He knew what he wanted, and this time, he wouldn't let his father get in the way.

"Fine. If that's how this has to be, then so be it. Let me pack my things and go. Please don't say another word to me on the way out. You won't change my mind this time. You'll be fine without me." With that, Sam raced up the stairs taking two steps at a time, adrenaline pumping through his veins. He was shaking from the argument as he quickly packed his duffel with the bare necessities and a few other things important to him. A picture of his mother, a knife, his laptop. He grabbed his duffel, packed to the brim, and leaped down the stairs, rushing out the door before even Dean could stop him. He ran all the way downtown to the bus stop, the cool night air rushing across his flushed face, pushing his hair back. He bought a ticket to Stanford, California and never looked back.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

John sat with his head in his hands and tugged at his graying hair. Dean paced the room frantically, his head spinning. "Dad, what do we do?" John didn't answer. He didn't know. Dean continued to pace. Finally, John stood up and moved toward the stairs, then turned and confronted Dean, "Dean, go to bed. Sam is gone for now. He may not come back for a while and that's a fact that we need to come to terms with. We'll figure something out tomorrow." He turned and walked up the stairs, exhausted mentally and physically, leaving Dean alone downstairs.

Dean couldn't believe what had just happened. Defeated, he laid on the couch and quietly cried himself to sleep Crying was a rare thing for Dean. He was terrified at the prospect of life without his baby brother.

"Good morning sunshine," John cooed in Dean's ear. Dean opened his eyes and blinked at the unwanted light that streamed in as his father threw open the curtains. "Dad? Is Sam here?" A flicker of sadness passed over John's weary face, but he masterfully tucked it away and said matter of factly, "No. He isn't coming back, Dean, but we're going to be okay, I promise. I've come up with a plan."

"What plan?"

"I won't be around forever, and you're going to need someone to hunt with. Plus, we'd be more efficient if we split up and got more jobs done at once, but I don't want you going anywhere alone. So, it's simple: we need to train someone to hunt with you."

Dean sat up and pondered this idea for a few minutes before he looked up at his beloved papa and wondered, "Who?"

"That's the thing," said his father, "That's where my idea comes into play. We're visiting the orphanage today. I want to get this started ASAP."

"The orphanage? You're going to drag another kid into all this shit?"

"Yes, one of the older ones who probably wouldn't get adopted otherwise. We need to be extremely careful in our decision, to make sure it's the right person, with an open mind and a tough spirit."  
>"So we're going to train a random kid to hunt evil demons and spirits with me to replace Sam? Great."<p>

The father and son tidied up before heading out and hopping into Dean's 1967 Impala, headed for the local orphanage.

Meanwhile, at the orphanage, a 15 year old girl roamed the hallways, trying to get her mind off things. She was listening to music and thinking about life. About how her life had gone from virtually perfect to completely shitty in the past four months. You see, her parents had died in a car accident one night in July. A week later her brother and his girlfriend were found dead in their house, a suspected robbery, though it seemed as though nothing were taken. Two days after that, she learned that her only remaining family member, her aunt, committed suicide for some odd reason. She had nowhere to go after that. She became a ward of the state, just another poor kid, just another number. She constantly questioned her family's deaths. She questioned everything.

So, every day at the orphanage was the same for her. It was her Hell. She would've done anything to get out. Screaming kids, creepy workers, mean workers. Her only real friend in any of it was one of the employees who cared for them; Sally, was her name. They got along real well. Sally seemed to understand everything this girl was going through. They talked a lot, and the girl was grateful to have someone she could depend on a little in all of this mess.

For the most part, though, she felt alone and isolated, especially when it wasn't Sally's shift. There was no metaphoric, sappy hole inside her that she couldn't fill or anything like that. No, she just felt shitty. She had no one. She was alone, her opportunities dashed, friends taken away from her. She had completely lost any sense of normality she had before. She couldn't stop thinking about her cats. What did they do with her cats? She wondered. She missed them; she cried almost every night remembering them, worrying about them.

This girl, who was once so normal and happy and confident, was now broken and lost, helpless. All she had was Sally and herself. And some fateful day, as she meandered the hallways of Hell, two men strolled in: John Winchester and his son, Dean.

"Hello ma'am. My son here is looking to adopt a kiddo that needs a home. He's been thinking about it for a while and finally decided to go for it," John lied. He and Dean were excellent liars, but Sam...not so much. The receptionist glared at John, irritated that today, she would actually have to work a little. "Let me go get Sally. She handles this stuff. Were you looking to adopt a male or female?" Dean raised his eyebrows at his father. "Either way is fine," Dean spoke. "What age range were thinking about?" "Older. Teenager, probably." The robust lady struggled out of her seat and waddled off to find Sally. Dean and his father stood in silence for a few minutes before Dean broke it when he said, "Dad, I'm not so sure about this. It doesn't seem like such a great idea." "Trust me, Dean, just like you always have. We'll make this work."

Ten minutes later Dean spotted a young woman with a pretty face and a nice figure walking toward them, smiling. He flashed her with his killer smile as she held out her hand, "Hi my name is Sally. I take care of the pairings and kids here. Your names are…?" Dean always lit up around pretty girls. He turned his charm on full gear. "Sally! A pretty name for a pretty girl! I'm Dean and this is my father John. Great to meet you," he smiled on through. Sally blushed and turned her gaze upon the floor, already enchanted by the handsome man standing before her. She looked back up at the two men and replied, "Good to meet you too. So I understand you're looking to possibly take in a teenager? May I ask why?' Dean lied through his teeth, and quite effectively too, "I've been thinking a lot lately about the poor kids who might not get adopted because most couples are looking for youngins, and I decided I wanted to give another kid a chance." Sally's eyes lit up. She'd never met such a thoughtful man before. "That's truly amazing! We really appreciate that. I have a couple kids in mind if you want to meet with them. I'm sure they'd love to talk with you." She led them into a small, interrogation-like room, where she motioned for John and Dean to take a seat in the fold up chairs next to an old table. Dean nodded his head. "Sure, that sounds great."

"First up is Leif. She's a fifteen year old girl, a real great kid. She just lost her entire family in the span of a month so she is still pretty fragile at this point, though she's very resilient." Leif entered the room confidently and sat in the chair directly across from Dean and John. She surveyed them quickly and subtly, confused as to why they were meeting with her. "Hi Leif. My name is Dean, and this is my father, John. Excellent meeting you." Dean held out his hand. Leif took it and shook it heartily, smiling as she courteously replied, "It's nice to meet you too." She couldn't help but notice how attractive this Dean was. His lips were perfect, his teeth and smile impeccable, and his eyes were nice as well. She already longed to see him smile again. It was perhaps the most beautiful smile she'd ever seen. "How are you today?" Dean beamed. Leif wondered how come these two were interested in adopting a fifteen year old girl. She knew there was a catch. "Well, to be honest with you, bored and miserable. This place is Hell, to be frank. And yourself? How are you gentlemen this fine September afternoon?" She was tired of lying and bullshit. She decided she would answer all their questions honestly. Dean looked amused, surprised at the a-typical response he just received….

TO BE CONTINUED


	3. Chapter 3

_Note:_

Hi! Thanks for reading, I really appreciate it. This is my first fanfic ever, and I'm having a lot of fun writing it so far! It will get even better once Leif gets home and the fun starts, I promise. Then I can really unleash my creativity. Anyway, if you have any suggestions or requests don't hesitate to voice them, I always appreciate constructive criticism and feedback. Thanks Again!

XOXO,

Lydia

**Chapter 3**

"We're superb, thanks for asking," Dean replied. John sat quietly. A couple moments of awkward silence passed before Dean cautiously spoke, "Look, to be completely honest with you, I'm not really sure what else we're supposed to talk about."

"Neither am I. i've never done this before either. I guess just shoot me some questions and I'll shoot back?" Dean shrugged and leaned back in his chair.

"Okay. What type of music do you like?"

"I'm very eclectic in my music tastes. But my favorite band is Coldplay. Their songs just have so much meaning, they're so deep. How bout yourself?"

"I like old-school rock, with a few exceptions, of course."

Fifteen more minutes passed with uncomfortable small-talk such as this before Sally came back in to check on them. "How's everything going in here?" she smiled. "Great! We'll take her," Dean joked, eliciting a chuckle from everyone in the room. Sally motioned for her and Leif to exit the room. "Nice meeting you," Leif added, before she walked out of the room. Sally walked her out, leaving the two men to contemplate for a moment. Leif returned to her aimless meandering of the halls, music in her ears. Sally reentered the room.

"What did you think?" Sally wondered.

"She's great," John and Dean exclaimed in unison.

"I have some more kids if you'd like to meet with a couple more…"

John cut her off, "No, that's alright. We like her. Can we get the papers?"

"Well, sure, let me go get my supervisor and we can get this all settled. Are you sure about this?"

"We're sure."

"Okay, I'll talk to my boss and Leif as well, just to make sure she's okay with all this." Sally left the room with a smile on her face, happy for Leif.

"Sir, I just, I don't feel right doing it this way…" Sally pleaded to her boss. The officious man cleared his throat nastily and grunted. He stood, handing her the adoption papers. "Sally," he said, "We're overridden with nasty little boogers that the state can barely afford. We're constantly making budget cuts. My pay is in danger of being cut as well, so is yours. Is that what you want? A pay cut?"

"No sir, but…"

"That's what I thought. We need to get rid of as many kids as possible, especially the teens. Those suckers are the hardest to get rid of, and the process doesn't really need to be as complicated as they say it should, ok Cupcake? Make sure she's gone by the end of the day" He winked at her. She suppressed a gag and a shudder with great difficulty, reached out her hand, and reluctantly took the papers. "Yes sir."

Before taking the papers to Dean and John, Sally searched for Leif in the hallways she knew she'd be wandering. She waved her over as soon as she saw her, and Leif pulled out her headphones. "What's up?" Sally touched her arm and informed her of the situation at hand. "Those guys want to adopt you. Whaddaya say? I just want to make sure you're alright with it before we go through with anything. Truly alright with it. Are you?" Leif smirked. She reassured her friend, "Yeah, I'm cool with it. They seem great. And Sally, I'd honestly do anything to get out of this hellhole, no offense." Sally nodded and took Leif back to the small room, handing the papers to Dean and John.

"Just sign here...here….here, and here. There. Done. I did a quick background check on the computer. Your record looks good," Sally said.

"That's it?"

"Yeah, that's it, she's all yours," she sighed. Leif came in the room with her small bag. Sally and the two men stood up, then the four of them exited the room. "Ready kiddo?" Dean look relieved. "Yeah, can I talk to Sally for a minute first? Say my goodbyes?" He nodded, and he and John moved away, waiting for her to wrap it up.

"I can't believe this is happening. I thought I'd never make it outta here til my eighteenth birthday. Thanks for everything you've done Sally, you're a true friend and a kind soul. I want you to know that you're one of the most generous people I've ever met, and that you're way too good for this place. Keep dreaming and work hard, girl, you deserve better than this hole in the wall. Goodbye. You're the only thing I liked about this place," Leif gushed.

"Thanks, Leif, you're a special kid. I'll miss you, you always brightened my day. Keep up the good work. Keep up those grades, and be good. Shoot for the stars, I know you can make it if you try. Bye, sweetheart. If you ever need me, give me a ring, or you know where to find me. For now." With that, Sally slipped Leif a small piece of notebook paper with her cellphone number on it, and they hugged. Leif walked over and joined her new guardians, then they left the building and headed for Dean's car.

As they walked out the door, Leif immediately felt lighter, giddy almost. She hoped she'd never have to go back to that place again. Relief washed over her, and she almost started crying tears of happiness on the spot. A new chapter in her tragic life was just beginning.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

As she slid into the back seat of Dean's Impala, Leif said, "Nice car. What year?" Dean grinned proudly and bragged, "She's a 67'. Pretty sweet huh? She's my baby. I try to take good care of her." John chuckled and Dean started the engine. They pulled out of the parking lot in silence, as Leif watched the town blur by out the window. They'd been driving for around 15 minutes when they arrived at a typical suburban house, though it was a little neglected compared to the others, as its inhabitants were rarely home. Leif pushed her door open and savored the brisk air as it washed over her flushed face. She followed her new guardians inside.

"Your room is the first one on the right after you go upstairs," John announced. "Sure, thanks." She headed up the stairs, taking in her surroundings. It seemed to her as if the house were unlived in. There was hardly any furniture, and the stuff that was there was beyond dusty; old spiders and cobwebs took residency in the corners of the ceiling. The door squealed as Leif gently pushed it open and strode into her new room. A small bed sat near the window, a dresser on the south wall, and a small nightstand next to the bed. There was a closet next to the door as well. Other than that, the expansive room was empty. No curtains, even. She made a mental note to address that issue at another time. A girl couldn't go without curtains, geez!

She started to unpack the few things she had and put them in the dresser drawers when a knock startled her. It was John.

"Hey, I have an emergency to attend to, it has to do with my job. I'll be gone for a few days, and I just wanted to say goodbye. Dean will be sure to show you the ropes. If you have any trouble with him just let me know when I get back and I'll take care of him for ya," John informed her.

"Okay. Thanks again, John, for taking me in. I appreciate it. Good luck on your trip," Leif spoke sincerely. He waved and exited the room. Leif resumed her unpacking. Once she finished, she sprawled out on the bed and stared at the ceiling. It was white, with cracks and water stains all across it. The ceiling became a projector as she Leif's mind began to wander. The visions of her mother, bloody, trying to speak to her at the hospital as blood gurgled up her throat. Leif had no idea what she had been trying to say. She imagined the car accident happening over and over again, though she didn't actually see it. She could imagine the drunk douchebag swerving into their lane, her Dad's failed attempt to avoid the car whose headlights were suddenly glaring into his face. he had nowhere to go; he was on a bridge. They had no chance that night.

As the car barreled toward her, Leif spotted the driver. A mischievous, gnarled grin was plastered on his face; his yellow eyes bored into her. She jerked and sat up with a gasp just as the headlights were about to smash into her car. Cold sweat slicked her body, and her hands were shaking uncontrollably. _Just a dream, it was just a dream, _she told herself. Hot, salty tears coursed down her face, leaving streaky marks. As she sat there, chest heaving, Dean poked his head in.

"Shit are you okay?" He walked over and sat on the edge of the bed. "Yeah, yeah, yeah," Leif mumbled, "It was just a dream. Just a dream."

Dean was at a loss for words as the poor girl continued to mumble. She was trying to regain her composure, but couldn't seem to get a handle on it.

"It's alright. It's okay," he cooed. This sent her over the edge, for some reason. A long groan escaped her as she began to bawl uncontrollably. Tears surged down her cheeks and dripped off of her lips onto her shirt, leaving little stains on the blue fabric. Dean was never good at dealing with this type of thing. He barely knew this fricken girl, I mean, what was he supposed to do? He sighed and cautiously took her head in his hands, tenderly wiping the tears away and repeating, "It's alright, it's 're okay."

She looked at him, surprised at this intimate gesture. He didn't really seem like that type of guy. His hands were warm, gentle, reassuring. Soon she was mollified, and the crying slowly subsided. Dean pulled his hands away, relieved.

"Sorry," Leif explained, "I've been having the same nightmare over and over again lately. It comes and goes at random times. I have other ones too, but they really don't affect me. This one gets to me for whatever reason. I can't help it."

"What's it about, if you don't mind me asking?" Dean glanced out the window. The willow tree across the street was dancing in the growing wind. The sky was overcast, foreshadowing the rain to come.

"It's like, I'm in my father's place, the night he died. He was driving and some guy swerved into his lane while they were on a bridge. He had no where to go, and they hit head on, going 60 MPH. There was no way anyone was going to survive that crash." Leif sighed and shook her head. Time had not healed her wound yet. She continued, "Anyway, it's like I'm in his place, the driver's seat. The headlights of the other car enter my vision, and I can see the driving for a second. But he isn't normal. He's wearing this shit-eating grin and he has the brightest, yellowest eyes. Almost like an animal. He exudes evil."

Dean contemplated for a moment. Yellow eyes? Grinning? Could it be…? No. Just a coincidence. It couldn't be the demon. Could it?


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

Leif woke up to the savory smell of bacon the next morning. She got out of bed and slipped pants on, then moseyed down the stairs to find Dean hunched over the stove. "Morning," she piped, unsure of herself. "Morning! I'm uh… making breakfast. You like bacon right? You aren't a vegetarian or something? I forgot to ask. Ooh! Ah shit," he muttered as he struggled with the bacon, grease hitting him in the face. Leif walked up beside him and watched for a second before she interjected, "Would you like some help?" Dean sighed and his shoulders dropped."Yes please," he admitted, "I've never really been that great at cooking."

"Me neither, but I think I can do bacon." She took his spot in front of the pan and flipped the bacon. After a few minutes, she set them on a plate with a paper towel to absorb some of the grease and took it over to the table where Dean sat, bowls ready, a cereal box and milk on the table.

"I figured bacon wouldn't be enough, and we don't have any eggs, so I got some cereal. If you want some," he said, "Oh, and thanks. For the bacon."

"No problem, and yes, cereal and bacon sounds great."

Leif sat down across from him and observed the setting. Here she was, sitting down for breakfast in a neglected house having bacon and generic brand cereal with some man she didn't know. It was far from perfect, but then again, not really. Compared to what she'd been having at the orphanage, this was heaven. She smiled to herself and slyly observed Dean as they ate in silence. She sighed a sigh of relief, and Dean finally glanced up at her. "What?" he asked.

"Oh, nothing. It's just that I haven't had a quiet breakfast like this in a while. It's great. Perfect."

Dean nodded. His hair was messy, tufted up in random spots. He hadn't bothered with it yet that morning. He'd been wearing the same flannel for three days. They finished eating in silence, and Dean went upstairs to shower and change. He said he had to talk to her about something afterwards, which peaked her interest. Once he disappeared up the stairs, she roamed the bottom floor. She was still confused as to why it looked like no one lived here, even though they were supposed to. There was hardly ANY food in the cupboard. Weird. She went upstairs and changed into a sweatshirt and jeans, then brought her current book downstairs to read while she waited for Dean.

Finally, he jumped down stairs. He grabbed a cup and filled it with tap water before he sat down.

"Okay, time to talk," he began. Leif nodded and slid her bookmark in. She leaned forward, listening intently.

"It's going to sound crazy, but bear with me. You need to have an open mind. Can you do that?"

"Yes I think so," Leif answered.

"Okay. Do you believe in ghosts?"

"Yes."

"Well, that's a good start. I don't know how to put this, but I'm just going to dive right in. Here we go… Me and my dad are what we call hunters. We hunt evil things. Vengeful spirits, demons, vampires, werewolves. You name it, we hunt it. Supernatural stuff that's evil. That's what we hunt. My dad trained me - it takes a lot of training - and I'm going to train you because I need a partner," Dean stammered this all out as fast as he could. Leif sat there, disbelieving. _This guy is insane, _she thought. But she kept quiet. She had no other choice. I mean, she couldn't call the guy who just adopted her crazy. That would be rude. So she put up a front and went along with it.

"Okay. How am I 'training' and when?"

Dean exhaled, relieved that she wasn't freaking out. "I want to start ASAP, and well, you'll have a quick brief but the best way to learn is by going out on jobs and learning from experience. Practical experience. I already have some jobs lined up for us this week."

Leif still thought this guy was crazy, but she was still morbidly curious, and she wasn't about to protest. Finally something possibly interesting was happening, other than death, in her pathetic life.

"Pack your stuff. We're heading for Massachusetts today. There's a possible case in a small borough of Boston."

She ran upstairs and shoved her few belongings back into her duffel bag. They walked out to the car and threw their stuff in the backseat, then got in. He handed her an old brown notebook filled with clippings and writings and pictures. Dean told her, "Read that on the way. It'll give you an idea of what this is all about."

So, she put her headphones in, started up her music, settled in, and started reading John Winchester's journal on everything he encountered.

_To be continued…_

_In the next chapter, Leif will have her first hunt. So the action begins.. _


	6. Chapter 6

_All of the names in this story are completely made up, and do not pertain to anyone in real life._

_Thanks for reading! This one got a little long. The next one will have a little action in it. Also, I'm thinking i about bringing Sam in at some point. What do you think? _

**Chapter 6**

*****Seven hours later* "Here we are," Dean announced in his husky voice. Leif startled awake and wiped the drool from the corner of her mouth. The Impala pulled into a dusty parking lot that belonged to the Jack and Jill Motel. The roof was in shambles, and the entire getup was just sketchy. "We're about forty five minutes East of the city, and some weird stuff has been happening in a suburban area right on the border, about twenty-five or thirty minutes from here," Dean explained. Leif opened her door and got out, following Dean into the main office, the vacancy sign flickering above their heads.

"Hi, can we get a room for, oh, say maybe four days?" Dean asked and flashed a smile at the lady behind the counter. Her face was droopy and tired, wrinkled, and unamused. She sighed loudly and went into the back room for a key. Dean paid and grabbed the keys, quickly turning on his heel and walking out toward their room, annoyed at the lady's impatience. He opened the door and they stepped in. Dean tossed his bag on the bed closest door to the bed and Leif moved to the one near the small kitchen in the back. She sat down and asked, "What now?"

"Well," Dean smirked, "Now we get to work. Put this on. Make your hair look professional or whatever, I don't know." He handed her a blazer and a pencil skirt with small heels and some black glasses. She went into the bathroom and changed quickly, wondering about this outfit. When she emerged from the bathroom with her hair in a tight bun and the rest of the ensemble, Dean was in a suit and tie. Damn, he looked good. She handed the glasses back and told him, "I have that covered. I have my own glasses. My mom blessed me with crappy eyes, ha ha." She pulled out a pair of blue coach glasses and put them on. "So what's up with this anyway?"

"You are now my colleague, and we work for the Federal Bureau of Investigation." He handed her a badge. She raised her eyebrows.

"For real? You could get in huge trouble for this you know. I don't know if I want to get involved," she worried. He shrugged and motioned for her to exit the room. She sighed and wondered if she was making the right decision as she walked out into the sunlight, prepared to play her role and do what she was told. What did she have to lose anyway?

"Okay, so five people have been murdered in the exact same manner in this suburb right outside Boston within a month, all by their cat. Their domestic house cat. Have you EVER heard of that happening before? Something's up," Dean briefed her.

"A cat? Seriously, I've had so many cats in my short life. They're definitely not murderers. So weird. So are we interviewing people?"

"Yes, we're interviewing people. But first: pop quiz! What are some defenses against demons and ghosts?"

Leif smiled to herself. This was really insane. "Salt, iron, holy water."

"Good, and how do you kill a ghost?"

"By salting and burning the person's bones."

Dean gave her a thumbs up before turning the ignition and pulling out of the parking lot as they made their way toward the victims' houses.

"Hello, Mrs. Locke, my same is Sam Hobbes and this is my colleague Lydia Barnes. We're with the FBI, and we're here to ask you a few questions about the death of your husband."

"You're awfully young to be an FBI Agent, Ms. Barnes," the poised lady looked at Leif. Leif smiled brightly and replied confidently, "Yes, ma'am, I'm the youngest in the bureau. My dad is an agent too. It sort of runs in the family." Mrs. Locke seemed to accept this response and invited them inside. Leif and Dean exchanged looks before entering and sitting on the couch.

"I've already told the authorities everything. In fact, there's not much to tell. That damn cat went insane and scratched my poor John's eyes out and ripped at his throat while he was sleeping. I never liked that thing. Maybe it had rabies or something, I don't know." She looked sad.

"Did you notice the cat acting weird or out of character any time before your husband's death?" Dean asked.

"No, not anything out of the ordinary. He always loved John and hated me. I have no idea why he would've hurt him. John was such a kind and gentle soul."

"Yes, I'm very sorry for your loss, Mrs. Locke. I noticed, you have a cat door. May I take a look?" Dean was fixated on the garage door across the room in the kitchen. She nodded, and he and Leif got up and walked over to the door. Dean crouched down. Leif pretended to know what she was doing and followed his lead.

While crouched next to Dean, he pointed to something: a clump of bright orange hair attached to the cat door. "What was the color of your cat, Mrs. Locke?" he asked. Leif didn't see why that would matter until she responded, "Black."

"And you only had one?" he followed up.

"Correct."

"Do your neighbors have any, perhaps, an orange one?"

"No, Bill, next door has a grey tiger but he's indoor anyway."

"Right," Dean nodded as he pulled the clump of hair off the door and slipped it into his pocket. He stood up; so did Leif.

"Thank you for your time ma'am," he took the lady's hand and shook it heartily.

"Thank you Mrs. Locke, I'm very sorry for your loss. My heart goes out to you," Leif also took the lady's hand and shook it before they both walked out the door.

"What do you think?" Dean asked Leif.  
>"Well I have no idea. Where'd the orange hair come from? Maybe another cat came in and forced their cat to murder the guy, ha ha. Just kidding. What do you think?"<p>

"Actually, I'm thinking it might be exactly what you just said. I want to check out the other victim's houses and see if the same thing is going on," Dean said, then glanced at Leif out of the corner of his eye. He noticed the look on her face, a look of complete disbelief. He knew she thought he was insane, for now.

"You're kidding me?" she laughed as they pulled out and headed for the next house. _This dude needs some psychiatric help, _she thought.


End file.
